tonight on the west coast. heavy rain, flash floods, and snow, while much of the country is about to hit record highs. help wanted. why, in this economy, are some big american brand names having a tough time filling thousands of open jobs? and women warriors. they're breaking barriers, battle tested, and every bit as tough as the guys. good evening. there is deep shock and sadness tonight in kansas city, missouri, and across much of the football world after a horrible tragedy that has left an nfl star player and his girlfriend dead in an apparent murder-suicide. police say kansas city chiefs linebacker jovan belcher shot the 22-year-old woman before he

headed to the stadium he was expected to play in tomorrow afternoon. it was there he turned the gun on himself. thanh truong joins us from arrowhead stadium in kansas city. good evening. >> reporter: good evening to you. arrowhead stadium is a symbol of pride for this city and the kansas city chiefs but there is a lot of sorrow here right now after a deadly day ended not far from where i'm standing. shortly before 8:00 this morning, gunfire erupted at this kansas city suburban home. >> when we arrived, a lady came out and said her daughter had been shot by her boyfriend several times inside the residence. we went in the residence. she was taken to the local hospital where she died a short time later. >> reporter: just ten minutes later at arrowhead stadium a man with a gun. >> we got a call at the arrowhead stadium to the practice facility in regard to a person who was in the parking lot armed with a handgun. when the officers pulled up they actually observed a black male who had a gun to his head and was talking to a couple coaches. >> reporter: then shots rang out. >> officers pulled up and began

to park and that is when they heard the gunshot. it appears the individual took his own life. >> reporter: police identified the shooter as jovan belcher a linebacker with the kansas city chiefs. the victim is identified as his 22-year-old girlfriend kasandra perkins, the mother of his 3-month-old child. >> we heard they had been arguing in the past as far as recently they've been arguing before the shooting occurred this morning. >> reporter: the 25-year-old belcher graduated in 2008 from the university of maine. undrafted he made it to the nfl the hard way. he played every game since joining the chiefs in 2009. his last conversations were with his coach and general manager apparently thanking them for all they had done for him before pulling the trigger. a statement released this afternoon by the chiefs ceo clark hunt reads in part, our collective hearts are heavy with sympathy, thoughts, and prayers for the families and friends affected by this unthinkable tragedy. as for the team, the murder-suicide scars a 1-10 season filled with injuries and disappointment, but on this day

wins and losses are put in perspective. the aunt of the victim released a statement saying our family has suffered a tragic loss. my heart goes out to my family as well as his. lester, the stadium will reopen tomorrow when the chiefs host the carolina panthers. no doubt right now this is a challenging time for this city and of course the organization. >> all right thanh truong in kansas city tonight starting us off, thank you. now to another still developing story, this one in miami where investigators are trying to figure out how a bus driver got lost, ended up at the airport, and slammed the bus into an overpass. at least two people have died. many more are hurt. nbc's craig melvin has the latest. >> reporter: police say the passengers, more than 30 of them, were part of a church group. most of them were elderly. >> fire and rescue crews had to use the jaws of life to cut a huge hole in the side of the bus to access the patients. the front of the bus is so heavily damaged that crews could

not get into the bus. >> reporter: officials say the driver went past two large signs warning drivers about the low overpass. >> we're still not sure why he did not see the clearance sign which would have told him that his bus was too tall for the area where he was driving. >> reporter: nearly 30 people were hurt, three of them critically. more attention has been given to bus safety in recent years, sparked by sometimes fatal accidents. in march of last year 15 people were killed when a bus in new york city fell from an elevated highway and slammed into a utility pole, which peeled its top off. this summer a tire blew out on a bus going from chicago to st. louis, killing one and injuring dozens. as officials begin their investigation into what happened today the bus company says it has never had an accident like this before. >> we take them over there. that's what he was trying to do. i don't know what happened. >> reporter: as for the driver, he was interviewed by police at the scene of the crash.

it's not known what he told them. craig melvin, nbc news, new york. we turn now out west where northern california and parts of oregon are bracing for impact tonight from a third round of heavy storms. many areas have been hard hit by flooding in recent days, and tonight one california county is preparing for what could be a disaster. nbc's miguel almaguer is in the mountain town of truckey, california, along the rising river. >> reporter: good evening. tonight this area is under a state of emergency. the truckee river runs for 121 miles between california and nevada and officials say it is not a question of if but when will this river flood? along the truckee river rising water and concern. tonight the marsico family is hoping to save their home of 50 years. a rock and dirt beam may help keep the water away but today

this family is moving out. >> that's important. >> reporter: carolyn has seen her home, this area flood before. >> it's a helpless feeling. there is nothing else you can do. there is nothing. so you just do what you can. >> reporter: with river water that could rise seven and a half feet with tomorrow's oncoming storm, washoe county has already declared a state of emergency. this mountain community, bracing for the worst. >> we know we're going to have flooding in some areas. there is no getting around that. >> reporter: for four days, the west has been hammered by rain, wind, and snow. in san francisco this week, flooding. in los angeles, trees and traffic have been the biggest problem. up and down the coast, surf advisories are in effect. >> it is going to be nasty. very heavy rain. could lead to river flooding, flooding on the roads. it could just be dangerous to be out and about. >> reporter: another punch from a series of storms still on the move and once again threatening

homes. earlier today nevada's governor also toured this river for some perspective and they're not just worried about flooding here but up and down california there are flood watches in effect and the weather while it is supposed to get bad tomorrow already today at sfo delays topped two hours. lester? >> miguel almaguer, northern california tonight. thank you. meantime, on this first day of meteorological winter, much of the country is about to feel record warmth for the start of december. meteorologist kim cunningham joins us from the weather channel headquarters. good evening. >> good evening, lester. it's typical a lot of times when you get that rainy weather in the west further east you get the warmth, the record highs. that's what we saw today. these are just some of the cities that did see records. oklahoma city, dallas 83. that was a record. houston 82. that was a record for you. we're talking about records that were broken from the 70s, corpus christi 86 degrees. now the reason we're seeing this

is because our jet stream is so far to the north. notice the trough and the dip in the jet stream on the west. that's why we're seeing the storms. but in response we're seeing the ridge building in. that is when we see the record warmth. we'll see a little break in the pattern at least the northern plains looks like sometime next week. but sunday more record highs will be broken including getting close and in st. louis we could see records falling here. it looks like a warm start to december at least for the next week or so at least for south. back to you. >> kim, thank you. as we turn overseas now more than 100,000 people took to the streets of cairo today. this time they were there to support the new president and his bold move to give himself sweeping powers. from egypt, nbc's jim maceda with the latest on that showdown. >> reporter: this was president morsi's day. tens of thousands of his muslim brotherhood and other islamist supporters packed the streets outside cairo university looking more like a political rally than a protest. they needed to show up in big

numbers to slow the opposition's momentum and did not disappoint. i think the numbers you see today show the true legitimacy is with president morsi, he said. they applauded morsi's controversial decree giving him near absolute power as well as a draft constitution, which human rights experts warn could seriously limit freedoms of speech, religion, and women's rights. they are against islam and don't want islamic law said this protester. we want islamic law. while clashes between pro and anti--morsi protesters in alexandria left at least a dozen wounded, here in cairo one of the largest islamist demonstrations ever was peaceful. meanwhile, in tahrir square several hundred tired morsi opponents tried to keep up their spirits. mohamed sayedi has lived in a tent for nine days and remains defiant. >> we would keep our rights from the president. >> reporter: the opposition promises an indefinite campaign of mass protests and civil disobedience until morsi

rescinds his decree. and annuls the draft constitution. these protesters, secular and liberal, have this message for the world. >> we are not going to accept a new dictator ruling us anymore. >> reporter: but tonight in a special ceremony morsi accepted the final draft constitution from the panel that wrote it. every one of them islamist. he declared a national referendum for december 15th. immediately after that opposition leaders said tonight that their struggle would continue, laying the ground work for more confrontation and violence. lester? >> jim maceda in cairo, thank you. in mexico a day of change and protests as a new president was sworn in. enrique pena nieto says his main goal is to reduce drug-related violence which killed more than 60,000 people in the six years felipe calderon was in office. vice president joe biden was among those who attended. outside there were clashes with

police as thousands protested the election in which pena nieto won with only 38% of the vote. his victory represents the return of the party that long dominated mexican politics. tonight people around the world are marking the 25th anniversary of world aids day, remembering the millions who have lost their lives and how far aids research and education has come in the past quarter century. in a live look now at the white house tonight a giant red ribbon hanging from the north portico reminding us all of the work still ahead to find a cure. still heed ahead as "nbc nightly news" continues on this saturday evening, help wanted. thousands of open jobs at big brand name companies in this economy. how come they're having such a hard time finding people to fill them? and later, all signs point to victory for a team that overcame incredible odds to win the championship.

news that shipping companies are hiring thousands of new workers right now to keep up with the christmas demand should come as good news to many americans who have been sitting on the sidelines in this weak job market. yet surprisingly companies are having a hard time filling some of those jobs. nbc's michelle franzen tells us why. >> reporter: they are the elves to retailers, the major distribution companies, and workers making sure all those gifts ordered online are processed and delivered on time for the holidays. with record-setting online sales

this shopping season, companies like amazon, ebay, and u.p.s. are struggling to hire enough workers to meet the demand. >> we're hiring 50,000 seasonal associates across our entire network in the u.s. to help meet demand. >> reporter: u.p.s. set a similar goal to hire 55,000 seasonal workers but the company says several thousand jobs are still waiting to be filled, including positions at its largest hub in louisville, kentucky. the jobs pay between $8.50 and $12 an hour and some companies are even offering cash incentives to employees for referrals. analysts say the challenge for those looking for work? taking a temporary position that may not turn into a full-time job. >> you run the risk of losing those unemployment benefits for that period and if it doesn't become a full-time job, then you have to go through the rigmarole of going back onto unemployment benefits. >> reporte u.p.s. estimates it will move a record 527 million packages between thanksgiving and christmas, a 10% jump from

last year. and further proof, holiday shoppers are continuing to shift from in store to online buying. with just over three weeks left to shop, companies will be under even more pressure to deliver your packages even if they can't fill those jobs. michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. after facing a barrage of criticism the nation's second largest bank says it's holding off on plans for new checking account fees that could have affected some 10 million customers by the end of the year. "the wall street journal" reports bank of america will hold off on implementing the new fees until late next year. we're back in a moment with the barrier breaking women proving they're every bit as tough as the guys.

retire the colors. ♪ >> thousands turned out today at naval station norfolk in virginia to see the world's first nuclear powered aircraft carrier officially retire from active duty. the "uss enterprise" is one of the most decorated ships in the history of the navy, serving in every major conflict since the cuban missile crisis back in '62. this week the aclu filed a federal lawsuit to lift the ban on women in combat in the u.s. military.

while women are permitted to fly fighter jets and attack helicopters, pentagon policy prohibits female soldiers and marines from serving in direct ground combat roles. but as u.s. military leaders struggle over how to bring women into ground combat training, two young women soldiers have already proven they've got what it takes. we get their story tonight from our chief pentagon correspondent jim miklaszewski. >> come on, man. >> reporter: it's grueling, downright brutal, and at times borders on physical torture. >> i'm beat. >> why are you letting go? >> reporter: it's the sapper leader training course for combat engineers. conducted in the back woods of fort leonardwood, missouri, it is one of the toughest combat schools in the army. >> this is a dirty, nasty, tough course, and it is going to test you in ways that perhaps some people just don't want to be tested. >> reporter: and the only combat training of its kind that accepts women. first lieutenant audrey motin and second lieutenant carly turnidge have signed up to try to earn the coveted title.

sapper. both are graduates of west point. motin was in the seventh grade on 9/11 and decided then she would join the army. >> i'm just very competitive and in the back of my mind i'm like, you can do this. >> reporter: turnidge comes from a strong military family. her father was a green beret. >> i'm still here to prove myself and prove i can do the same things the guys can do. >> reporter: but here each must prove herself not as a woman but as a soldier. >> they have to. the standard doesn't change just because they're a woman. >> reporter: over 28 days with little sleep or food these 38 soldiers will go through living hell. >> it's all part of pushing them to their limit and beyond. >> if i can do it, i can do it. if i can't, then i tried my hardest. >> reporter: that includes the buddy rappel. motin ropes down a hundred-foot cliff with a wounded soldier strapped to her back. then she runs for cover with soldier and all.

turnidge easily pulls it off and earns a high five from her battle buddy. >> anybody with the right mindset can definitely do it. >> reporter: these sappers don't get any slack. if they can't cut it, they're out. no excuses, no exceptions -- men or women. but the worst is yet to come. it's 4:00 a.m. morning drills with a 400 pound boat. >> i think we've identified the weakest link. he's right here. right here in front of me. >> reporter: motin takes some heat. >> back straight. you still have your butt in the air. >> reporter: daylight brings no relief. turnidge and motin are determined to gut it out. seven men have already quit but they're hanging on with 14 days to go. jim miklaszewski, nbc news, fort leonardwood, missouri. >> mik is going to continue his reporting tomorrow night when he'll show you what happened next. even more grueling tests in the homestretch of training. here is something you don't see every day.

that is pope benedict xvi and that is a lion cub he is petting in a hall at the vatican. the circus came to town for a papal performance. thousands of clowns, acrobats, and puppeteers from around the world, even a big top tent and a carousel in st. peter's square. when we come back, they're a small, scrappy team that beat the big guys to win it all. that's not what makes this team so special.

finally tonight an example

from the fields of play about how to get past seemingly insurmountable challenges and about the rewards that follow when you pull it off. nbc's mike taibbi has the story tonight from los angeles. >> reporter: they were an undermanned high school football team from fremont, california. only 19 players from a small school, and they're under sized, not one player even 200 pounds, which made their run to a 10-2 record and elite championship something special. but the csd eagles overcame an even bigger obstacle on the way to friday night glory because csd stands for california school for the deaf. that's right. every player and coach warren keller, too, is deaf. >> we want to prepare the kids the best we can for the rest of their lives. get them, no matter what happens on the field and how much we push them we want to prepare them for their real life. >> reporter: small but quick, the eagles were pushed to practice fast and play that way. the hurry-up offense with each snap within seven seconds of the referee's spot. >> we set up fast.

we snap the ball fast. >> reporter: and what do you know? it worked. one bigger opponent after another bit the dust. almost all of them public schools. and the eagles turned deafness into an advantage, using sign language and color coded sideline boards to call plays that athletes who can hear couldn't figure out. >> they have a medium of communication that is very simple. they can talk to each other. and they don't have to create a new language where as a matter of fact we might be at a disadvantage. >> reporter: it is tough enough growing up deaf, but over the space of a dozen football games, these kids proved their metal and their equality to the hearing world and to themselves. motivation? >> they think we're nothing, that they can beat us and that we won't beat them and they have a big ego. >> reporter: and reward. >> we shocked them and then they realized oh, yeah. deaf kids can play. >> reporter: for their extraordinary season, "sports illustrated" has honored the eagles as one of the country's accomplished underdogs. more important, what these young

athletes have already won. >> what happened on the football field applies in real life. i'll always remember playing football here. of course i feel like it's going to help me become a better man. >> reporter: a message sent and received loud and clear. mike taibbi, nbc news, los angeles. that's nbc "nightly news" for this saturday. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. i'll see you tomorrow morning on "today" and right back here tomorrow evening. we leave you tonight with a look at the rockefeller center christmas tree and a lot of folks enjoying this evening. have a great night, everyone.

good evening. i'm diane dwyer. we are tracking another storm headed our way. experts say it could be the strongest of the storms to hit this wokthis week. as you can see the roads are wet. the biggest concern in most areas is flooding. we begin tonight with anthony slaughter in our weather center with a look at when this next storm is supposed to hit. hello, anthony. >> hey, diane. it's been quite a week across the bay area. we are starting to see the impacts of our next storm system make its way across the bay area. from the bay bridge toll plaza there is a bit of water on those lenses. we still have the flash flood watch in effect against the coast. now that flood warning for napa county primarily becauseth